brown rice sushi bowls

Sushi is one of our favorite go-to meals in the summer because it’s light and takes advantage of the freshest seafood of the season. But sometimes we’re just in the mood for our favorite vegetable roll, so we’ve adapted the flavors we love from them to make them at home. We love to serve them over brown rice, our absolute favorite pantry staple ingredient instead of sushi rice for an even healthier twist.

You can add just about anything you like to these bowls which makes them great for entertaining. You can serve these all assembled, or serve it more family-style and allow your guests to create their own. Shrimp, salmon, tuna, or tofu are just a few other things you can add to the bowls, but the possibilities are really pretty endless. For a bit of heat in the dipping sauce, add some crushed red pepper flakes to taste.

2 cups short-grain brown rice, rinsed

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil, or to taste

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly gourd black pepper, to taste

1/2 nori sheet, crumbled

2 avocados

1 English cucumber, thinly sliced or diced

4 scallions, light and green parts, thinly sliced

Freshly cilantro, for garnish

Black and regular sesame seeds, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups water and brown rice to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is cooked and water is absorbed, 40-45 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove lid and place a clean kitchen towel over top of pot. Place lid over towel and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, fluff with a fork.

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Season with a bit of salt and some pepper. Taste and adjust as desired. Set aside.

In a dry skillet, toast nori sheet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cooled, chop into smaller pieces with a sharp knife. Set aside.